Contaminants found at military base in Mountain View; testing under way

Environmental testing is under way near Canadian Forces Detachment Mountain View following the location of contaminants at the site.

Routine testing found poly- and perfluoroalkylated substances, or PFAS, at CFS Mountain View.

A news release from the Department of National Defense officials Thursday noted the chemicals are “manufactured chemicals used in a variety of consumer and industrial products including cookware, food packaging and firefighting foams. Metals and other substances were also found near the detachment’s landfill both in surface and groundwater on the property and are believed to be related to past use of firefighting foams for training as well as past waste management practices.

“Currently, there is no evidence that PFAS are present in residential wells beyond the detachment’s property,” the release stated. “But, as a precaution, officials will work with nearby property owners to determine whether they rely on private well water, how it is used, and if testing for PFAS is required.”

Any testing required will begin this month and the results will inform next steps.

“All tests will be carried out by an independent environmental consultant, and the results analyzed at accredited laboratories. To protect the privacy of residents, the sampling area will remain confidential. We will continue to test and analyze results from the detachment and nearby private wells, if required, to better understand the sources and impacts of PFAS in the area.

“As a good neighbour, we are committed to managing the effects of our operational legacy responsibly and doing our part to safeguard the health of Canadians. We are working with the province of Ontario, and all test results will be shared with the Ontario Ministry of Environment, Conservation, and Parks (MECP), Hastings Prince Edward Public Health, and affected property owners as soon as they are available. We will continue to keep the community informed about this issue and our work to address it.”

From the mid-1940s until the closure of the detachment’s fire hall in 1967, DND conducted firefighter training at the detachment. At times, firefighting foams containing PFAS were used during training. These activities were conducted according to the accepted practices and regulations of the time.

Residents with questions about testing program can contact the Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Trenton public affairs office at 613-392-2811, ext. 2041. Health-related questions about water quality can be directed to Hastings Prince Edward Public Health at 613-966-5500.